Toy Timeout Box is something that happened out of necessity. Roo is three. She has been pushing limits, testing bounderies, and learning about consequences. At this toddler/preschooler age, immediate reward and consequences work best.
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How it works
A Toy Timeout Box is exactly as it sounds, a box I put toys in when Roo misbehaves. It sits in an out of reach place that is still visible as a reminder to act better for the rest of the day. The next morning the toy (or toys, unfortunately) return.
How it happened
It began with simply placing the toy on the shelf, but somedays there were more than one toy and it got very cluttered. I also had to explain to both my husband and the babysitter everyday why there were toys on the shelf.
I used a plastic bin. Then I used foam letter stickers to write out, “Toy Time Out” and let me tell you these stickers are one of the best purchases I ever made! (Affiliate links above) I avoided it for awhile because I thought they were so expensive for something I’d rarely use. But I use them for school, crafts, painting, and so much more!
Other Discipline Techniques
This is not my only method of discipline, but it seems to work best. Especially when it comes to cleaning up after playtime.
But different situations call for different discipline. We also do timeouts for Roo. A quick 10-20 second break to remind her of an unacceptable behavior. Or a longer 2.5-3 minute timeout for tantrums or anything else that requires time to calm down. For this I provide a tool like this calm down bottle or a special lovey.
Rewards
Recently we began a star reward system. Roo can earn stars for simple (but somehow difficult) tasks like pooing in the potty, finishing up school work, and helping with chores. Stars are removed only for big no-nos like hitting. She loves movie nights, so when she reaches 5 stars, she earns a movie night. This has also been encouraging her to learn to count!
What are some techniques you use? Will you be adding a toy timeout box to your discipline methods?